The development of a structured "Peer Assisted Study Program" with required attendance

Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) are a variation of peer education specifically designed to enhance first year university students in courses that have an historically high failure or withdrawal rate. Traditionally, attendance at PASS has been voluntary and activities are generated by PASS leaders (second or third year undergraduate students). At Flinders University, PASS has been remodelled with the voluntary aspect removed and replaced with an attendance grade of 5%. In addition, structure has been developed in the program by providing educationally tested materials alleviating the need for leaders to design their own activities. This has led to standardisation of sessions, a reduction of stress for leaders and has ensured that activities focus on Threshold Concepts. The introduction of PASS into a first year biology course has had dramatic effects with respect to decreased failure and withdrawal rate (especially of male students) and not surprisingly, attendance is very high (85%).

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